Favoritos de richard8484

A warm, sunny spring day, around 26 degrees Celsius with no breeze.

A pair of Australian Wood Ducks and 20 ducklings initially resting on a small, soft grassed area on the central winding bank of a snaking pond structure. The female paddled up bringing the family onto the open bank for some quick grazing then an unleashed dog scared them back onto the pond.

The adult female has the lighter brown head, with horizontal white feather bands above and below the eyes and speckling on the chest continuing down the sides. The adult male has the darker head with even darker mane down the back of the neck with the grey feathering down the sides, the species also known as the Maned Duck. The ducklings are a mix of male and female and most closely resemble the adult female. The face and bill makes them look like small geese, a beautiful species that's sometimes called a Maned Goose.

It's likely the ducklings are from the eggs of multiple adult females laid in the same nest with one female and male pair taking on parental duties. Not uncommon amongst duck species, multiple females laying in one nest.